Being cyber safe is just as important at home as it is at work, even though you might not face the same issues in both places. There are still lots of threats that could harm both your business and your employees.
Business owners need to take cyber security seriously. They should have systems in place to make getting cyber safe a part of the everyday work routine. If you’re a business owner looking to make your workplace more secure, here are some steps you can take.
Cyber security plan
Every business should have a cyber security plan. The plan should have detailed procedures for everything from day-to-day operations to emergency cyber security situations. Threats like spear phishing or ransomware will attack businesses through gaps in their security. If your business has plans for how to handle everything from a cyber security perspective, your operation will be much more secure.
A cyber security plan helps employees whenever they have a question or concern about cyber security. Appointing a cyber security task force or employee representative is another way to ensure the plan is communicated to and followed by all employees. The cyber security plan should be kept up-to-date with the latest cyber threats and information.
For help with creating your cyber security plan, check out our blog post on cyber security action plans and Get Cyber Safe’s Guide for Small and Medium Businesses.
Training
You can’t look for cyber threats if you don’t know what they are in the first place. Every business should discuss cyber security with new employees. Onboarding should include an introduction to your company’s cyber security policies. You should also share information on cyber security topics like passwords and phishing. Teaching employees about cyber security can help them better protect your business from online threats.
Manage devices and software
Managing employee devices and software can stop cyber threats before they affect your business. Limit access to accounts and important or sensitive information to only those who need it. The more that access is given, the easier it is for cyber criminals to access or steal data. When employees leave your organization, make sure you change the passwords for accounts they had access to.
You should make sure that every device has anti-virus software installed. You can even go one step further and enable automatic updates on all devices. There are other tools, like password managers or virtual private networks (VPNs), that you could use to make getting cyber safe easier for employees. These steps are especially important if employees use their personal devices for work purposes.
Conclusion
Every business needs to take cyber security seriously. Even if you’re not in a high tech industry, you’re still at risk when it comes to threats like scams and malware. Make sure to have a cyber security plan, train employees, and manage your devices and software. This will create a cyber safe work environment for your employees. It might even encourage them to get cyber safe themselves.